Russian President Vladimir Putin: Russia's weight and influence in the world will increase. Pictured: Vladimir Putin (right) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (left) during the negotiations with EU. Source: ITAR-TASS

Russia will continue to maintain an active policy in the
international arena through modern economic diplomacy and soft power,
seamlessly embedding itself in the global information space, said President
Vladimir Putin, commenting on Russia’s updated Foreign Policy Concept, which
was presented to members of the Security Council at a meeting in the Kremlin in
mid-February.

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The new foreign policy concept was prepared in accordance with a presidential
decree issued May 7, 2012. It replaces the last foreign policy concept, which
was presented in 2008.

"Russia will continue to pursue an active and
constructive line in international affairs. Its weight and influence in the
world will increase," Putin said, adding: "The basic principles of
Russian foreign policy remain the same."

According to Putin, Russia is interested in creating a
favorable environment in which to achieve internal development and address
social and economic challenges.

"That means, above all, openness, predictability,
pragmatism, and the pursuit of national interests without any confrontations in
accordance with the role of the United Nations and the rule of international
law," Putin said.

The new concept takes into account the global changes that
have occurred in recent years, in particularly the global financial crisis, the
Arab Spring and its aftermath and ever increasing globalization.

"The concept focuses on modern foreign policy tools,
including economic diplomacy, elements of so-called 'soft power,' and careful
integration into the global informational space,” said Putin.

The priorities of Russian foreign policy have been clearly
established and aligned. First of all, they concern relations with the
countries of the former Soviet Union. The document highlights the importance of
cooperation with the C.I.S. in terms of foreign policy priorities.

It underscores the need to strengthen the proposed
Eurasian Union and multilateral ties between members of the former Soviet
Union, from which we can conclude that Russia's approach to global and regional
issues places the accent on relations with its immediate neighbors.

As for relations with the West, the emphasis is more on
the pragmatic aim of strengthening Russia's economic potential.

It should be noted that despite the ongoing talk in recent
years of the need for Russian diplomacy to reorientate itself in an Asian
direction, relations with Western countries are still prioritized in the
hierarchy of Russian foreign policy objectives: in first place is the C.I.S.,
followed by the West, and only then comes the Asian vector of cooperation.

In my view, the tonality of the present concept highlights
the fact that the world is full of threats. The document highlights in
particular that the risks are becoming harder — and sometimes almost impossible
— to anticipate.

In these conditions, the fundamentals of each individual
country take precedence, namely the idea of national identity.

To a large extent, global security today depends on a
precise formulation of this concept. The document expressly notes that the
world is a place of interaction, which may entail clashes and competition
between different national identities. This, in my opinion, is what
distinguishes Russia's new foreign policy from the old.

For a long time, Russian diplomacy, and the Russian
authorities in general, focused on pragmatism: less ideology, more targeted
action and interests. Now some rethinking is being done. Yes, pragmatism is
important, but without a value-based, ideological foundation foreign policy
cannot develop.

At this stage, the question of framing a set of specific
principles to define national identity remains open. Only the contours have
been outlined.

Of all the new regulations, the introduction of the
concept of soft power stands out; in actual fact, it is a projection of one's
own identity onto other countries and the rest of the world. The strong accent
on soft power is indirect evidence that Russia intends to shape its ideological
and moral baggage in such a way as to be able to offer it as an alternative in
the global market of values. Economics in this respect will not play second
fiddle.

Russian diplomacy, as framed in the concept, will continue
to work actively to promote Russia's national economic interests. All the more
so at a time when the risk of a major war is low and the probability of there
being one is small, while other forms of confrontation, particularly the
struggle for economic influence, are becoming more acute.

Fyodor Lukyanov is chairman of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy
of Russia.